


monsters in kind

by Shadokin



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-19 04:30:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17594666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadokin/pseuds/Shadokin
Summary: They're the same deep down, Bellamy and Lincoln, they just don't know it yet.





	monsters in kind

**Author's Note:**

  * For [growlery](https://archiveofourown.org/users/growlery/gifts).
  * In response to a prompt by [growlery](https://archiveofourown.org/users/growlery/pseuds/growlery) in the [nws_holiday2018](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/nws_holiday2018) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
>  
> 
> bellamy/octavia roleswap - bellamy is the one who wanders off and meets lincoln in early series one and falls in love with him. exploring how the plot would shake out differently would be cool but i am absolutely here for sweet relationship fluff too.

His knife is drawn, hand clenched around the handle as he stares the stranger down.

“Who are you?” Bellamy asks, his untamed hair curled over the rims of his eyes. He’s alone in the forest with someone not from the Ark and not one of the delinquents.

He waits, but the stranger is still and silent. Bellamy wishes he accepted Nathan’s offer to join him with exploring.

The stranger seems to be around his age, perhaps a few years older. There’s black paint drawn over his face. His brown eyes are full and empty, his mouth not moving from the frown that’s formed permanently on his face.

And the stranger is too still. Feeling the sweat dripping over his lip Bellamy lowers the knife, turning the blade back and stepping from the strange.

“You live here?” He asks, shoulders easing up, and he’s not even sure what he means by _here_. The forest they’re in or the planet they’re standing on.

“ _Sha._ ” The stranger speaks, and Bellamy furrows his brow. The stranger lets his eyes roam to the sides, never letting his face turn too much either way. He was keeping an eye on him. Bellamy swallows while the stranger surveys the area around them. Like he was checking for witnesses before striking…

He speaks again. Longer, in words Bellamy can’t understand. Bellamy tries to move his mouth, and he feels his mind blank. He doesn’t know what to do in this situation.

“I don’t… I don’t know what you’re saying.” Bellamy knew several languages, growing up on the Ark. Everyone filtered in and out between a few, mixing words together in daily conversation. But the stranger’s words were too off for him to make sense of.

“Please. We didn’t know anyone was down here. We didn’t mean to disturb your home.”

Maybe the council knew, maybe Wells or Clarke knew, but he certainly didn’t.

The stranger is still silent, but his eyes are studying him now. Bellamy holds his breath as he feels himself being judged, sensing the importance of the next few seconds. The knife was still in his hand. If the stranger was going to attack, he could at least get a good swipe in—

“You burned a village with your fire.” The stranger says, and its words Bellamy understands, but he’s still confused. The idea of what a village is springs to mind, and then fire from camp.

“The flares?” He asks. It was the only thing that made sense. They were trying to signal the Ark, and they weren’t thinking about checking to make sure the fallen flares wouldn’t cause any major damage.

Bellamy’s heart sinks, thinking about strangers that had nothing to do with the violence of the Ark, hurt because of what he and his people did.

“We didn’t know you were down here.” Bellamy says, trying to read the stranger’s eyes. A thought begins to bubble in his gut. “Did anyone get hurt?”

The tension in the stranger’s brow relaxes, but his features are still grim.

“Injuries. Panic. Loss of homes and food.” He says, “But everyone’s alive.”

Bellamy lets out a long breath, the relief pouring over him. His mind starts to work towards other things, such as retaliation and revenge. Did they accidently start a war?

“What happens now?” Bellamy asks, gripping his knife harder. He resists shaking, the trembling hidden under his skin and around his bones.

The stranger takes a step towards Bellamy, and Bellamy steps back involuntarily before holding himself still. The stranger slowly gets closer, and Bellamy feels it in his heart that if this earthborn—this _grounder—_ wanted to, he would absolutely overpower Bellamy.

“Now, I judge who you are.” The stranger says, his voice the same volume as before but somehow sounding more menacing. “All of you.”

Bellamy swallows. The stranger blinks, and the sight takes Bellamy back, unsure if it was the first time the grounder had blinked at all during their exchange.

“You should know who I am then.” Bellamy says, and raises his arm up halfway in offering. He hesitates, wondering how wise it would be to shake hands. “Bellamy.”

The grounder blinks again, quickly, and he’s barely moving his head as his eyes scan Bellamy.

“I am Lincoln.”

Lincoln gazes down at Bellamy’s still frozen-in-place arm. When he looks to Bellamy again, his frown is gone—it’s not a _smile_ —but there’s an air of ease.

“Do not tell your people about me.”

It’s definitely a threat, and Bellamy nods once before watching Lincoln, who stood so still, turn and disappear into the forest.

Bellamy’s heart is pounding as he drops his knife to the ground.

XxX

Bellamy says nothing for those first few days. He’s had no reason to. Before Lincoln showed himself, the delinquents all thought that the planet was devoid of human life.

The peace doesn’t last long. One of the kids is missing. A younger delinquent who had taken a shine to his sister. Clarke confessed to the camp that there were others out there, Wells suggested a lookout, and Nathan was ready to go out and find the weapon stash they had managed to learn about from the Chancellor.

Bellamy volunteered to go with him. So did Raven.

“Hey.” Raven says from Bellamy’s side. She was easy to talk with lately. Surprising, given their first meeting. But she makes him smile, and it was good to have someone who could get him to lighten up a little. It helped that he knew he could get her to laugh too.

“Hey yourself.” Bellamy says, eyes scanning the trees, axe in hand. “You never said why you wanted to come along?”

He can hear Raven rolling her eyes beside him. “Haven’t been out of camp much since I got here. Thought it was a good chance to stretch my legs.” She says. There might be more to it, but Bellamy won’t pry. At least not out in the open.

“We should be there soon.” Nathan says, a couple paces ahead. Bellamy wonders what to say to him. Nathan’s done nothing but back him up on the ground, but he’s been wound up the last week or so. They were best friends once, and friends still, but Bellamy still doesn’t know how to ask if he’s okay.

“You okay?” Raven’s voice breaks him, and he’s been caught staring at Nathan. He takes a breath and looks to her instead. At least she had offered him the courtesy of keeping her voice low.

“Yeah.” He says, trying to sound earnest. She nods at him, and he wonders when he started to care about her. He never expected to make another friend down here.

The entrance to the weapon’s stash is hidden in the hills. They find it with some struggle, and the weapons are hidden inside barrels. Bellamy doesn’t know how well preserved they are, but they _look_ to be in decent condition.

His mind flashes to Lincoln.

The grounder was watching somewhere, Bellamy was sure. He thought about how he had shot the Chancellor, about the guns they had found, and the grounders they haven’t seen yet. Lincoln represented all of his people in Bellamy’s head.

“I… I need some air.” He says, and neither of them get the chance to say anything before he’s out on the hill, breathing heavy and feeling his heart thudding in his chest.

He looks out to where the trees stand in the distance. Lincoln had to be in there, watching him and his friends, his sister, his people. Without knowing where he was, Bellamy could picture him everywhere.

Lincoln will judge them, and he’ll see the monster Bellamy is. What’ll happen then? He can’t imagine a world where the punishments were any less severe than the Ark.

“Bellamy.”

It’s Nathan. Walking towards him with a look of concern.  

“I’m good.” Bellamy says, not waiting for the question. Nathan nods quick before hesitation takes its place over him.

“You think the guns will help?” Nathan asks, and he’s looking to the trees now. Bellamy follows his lead and stares, wondering if he could spot the one grounder he knew of.

“I hope we don’t have to use them.” Bellamy says in earnest. Nathan’s too slow to cover his scoff, then meets Bellamy’s eyes and swallows.

“But at least we can make sure no one else goes missing.” Bellamy continues.

“You mean gets taken.” Nathan says, and his eyes are hard for an enemy he’s never seen.

Bellamy nods. “…Yeah.” His eyes shift over the trees again.

There’s a load bang from the cave’s direction, and the pair turn quickly. It’s Raven standing there, having just fired the gun in her hands, now placed casually to her shoulder, nozzle up.

“This one works!” She calls out, a satisfied smile on her face. Heart pounding, Bellamy exchanges a glance with Nathan, and smiles back at her despite himself.

XxX

Lincoln signals him with stemless flowers, white petals speckled with red. They find each other over the coming weeks.

“Listen,” Bellamy says, at the edge of a hidden pool of water. There’s a rag balled in his hand, touched to the water before he lifts and presses it to Lincoln’s face. “I won’t forget what you did. You brought Jasper back to camp.”

He remembers meeting Lincoln in the cave, the first time he followed the path of flowers. Lincoln was bloody, and his paint was smudged, and behind him was a shivering delinquent with sweat covering his whole body and terror in his eyes. He barely managed to motion to Lincoln, calling him Bellamy’s friend and telling him how he had been saved.

There’s a bowl of medicine Lincoln now applies to his wounds with Bellamy’s help. It’s been a day since Jasper’s return and his wounds would need many more before they healed.

“I don’t know why though.” Bellamy continues, patting the rag against Lincoln’s jaw. Water drips down his neck and Bellamy watches it before leaning back on his legs.

“I had to.” Lincoln says. He looks to the pool and away from Bellamy. Frowning, Bellamy puts the rag on Lincoln’s leg and reaches for the medicine.

A part of Bellamy expected a hiss of pain when he dabs the herbs to Lincoln’s cheek. Silence answers him, and he considers that before looking into the bowl.

“Do my people need to be worried?” He asks. When he looks up Lincoln is turned to the water. Neck stiff and chin titled just away.

“Do mine?” Lincoln asks. He means the guns. Bellamy doesn’t answer for a while, and they look out to the water together. Reaching to the bowl, Lincoln finishes dressing his cuts, not meeting Bellamy’s eyes the whole while.

“Hey.” Bellamy calls, his hand going over Lincoln’s. The world is wide around them, and Bellamy feels soothed at the water lapping over his bare feet.

“You and me; we’re okay.” He says, but Lincoln doesn’t look assured.

XxX

It takes three days before the camp is hit with the infection. Jasper’s body is a carrier for a plague, spreading it through the camp. Raven has the sense to establish a quarantine zone within the dropship after seeing blood coming out of Clarke’s eyes.

“How are you feeling?” Bellamy asks Raven, and his hands already pressed to her forehead. She gives him a stiff smile and lets him assure himself she’s okay before backing off.

“We need to establish gunners on the perimeter.” Nathan says, poking his head into the tent, already carrying one of the bigger guns. “I told Harper and Connor to make sure to check people before handing weapons out.”

“Good call.” Raven says. Bellamy rubs a thumb across his lips in thought before nodding. It doesn’t take long to realize how it happened. Bellamy feels the anger swelling inside of him at the thought of Lincoln betraying him. He waits until Nathan’s gone before telling Raven what he knew.

“Damn it, Bellamy.” Raven says with fury he hadn’t felt directed at him since she first dropped down to Earth.

“I got us into this.” Bellamy says, the weight of responsibility sitting on him. “I’ll make sure the grounders don’t get any more chances to hurt our people.”

XxX

Lincoln’s body is held in the top level of the dropship days later. The sickness didn’t kill the camp, though one of the youngest, and someone else Bellamy barely knew.

He didn’t like what he had to do. It feels necessary, but he can’t deny the relief when Monty stormed in with Raven behind him.

Her eyes burn into him. Bellamy wants to look away but can’t.

They untie Lincoln from his forced stance to just his hands bound together, and Monty goes to cover his marked chest with a spare shirt.

“You can’t keep making these decisions on your own.” Raven whispered fiercely to him. She’s right and Bellamy sighs, closing his eyes.

“He got our people killed.” He says, voice stretching out as he stares over to Lincoln. Monty’s not speaking to him, but he sees Bellamy watching and looks back before turning his head away.

“Yes.” Raven says. He hesitates at that.

“We’re invaders to them, Bellamy. I’m sure my crash landing didn’t help their fear of us.”

Bellamy wants to smile, but its weak. He tries anyway and Raven offers the same sized smiled back at him.

“What do we do with him then?” Bellamy askes, dropping the bravado as he looks to her for help. Raven doesn’t flash him one of her smug smiles but looks at Lincoln with serious consideration.

“Get him back to his people. And try to establish a truce.”

XxX

There’s no battlefield they fight on. Raven’s brought to speak to the one in charge of the forest territory. Her name is Anya, and she’s reluctantly considerate of their circumstances but remains firm in her motives.

The delinquents can live, but not here.

“We have too many wars we’re fighting to worry about one more.” Anya tells them. They’re given a direction to depart in, and time to gather supplies. Bellamy worries for it all, but he swallows back any protest.

_This is how we survive._

Lincoln will guide them from the forest. He will make sure they stick to their word.

On the first day they set out, and the camp has been cleared of whatever their people could carry. Bellamy kicks out the last campfire, looking over what had been home. He sees Wells in the distance, gripping his walking stick and shouldering his pack like it didn’t bother his sprained ankle. Nathan walks to his side, clapping his shoulder and he can see them laugh from where he stands. It brings a small smile to his face.

And in a blink Lincoln’s in front of him, and his smile drops. He’s been angry at lot since coming down from the Ark, and he’s not sure if he’s angry at Lincoln. For his part, Lincoln looks different now. The paint on his face his gone, though he’s still dressed in protective gear, no doubt weapons hidden on his person.

 “I’m sorry about all this.” He says, voice lowered despite no one being close enough to overhear. Bellamy tries to imagine if there was another way they could’ve gotten here. Standing out in the open, but not as friends.

Bellamy sighs. “I’m sorry for crash landing into your home.”

He catches Lincoln’s intense look, brown eyes shining darkly on him. The lightest smile he’s ever seen on Lincoln’s face springs forth.

“I’m not.”

Bellamy doesn’t know how to respond. He feels his own lips twitch up in a curious smile. Lincoln pats his hand onto Bellamy’s shoulder once, keeping eye contact for an added moment. Then he walks away, and Bellamy quietly ponders the warmth in his chest.

XxX

It’s been a month since they left Trikru’s—Lincoln’s people’s—territory. In that time the Ark crash landed down, and Anya had established a peace agreement with the both the delinquents’ group and the people of the Ark.

Not everything was peaceful with frightened refugees from the sky of course, but it’s a work in progress.

There’s a valley between territories the sky people claim as their own. The Council, the people in charge on the Ark, are quick to establish rules, trying to bring order back the way everyone was used to.

“It’s going to come to a head eventually.” Nathan says, looking between Raven and Monty. The three of them sit with Bellamy, set of the outskirts of their village.

“We keep cool for now. Besides, anyone else tries to leave they’re going to think the grounders are kidnapping us.” Bellamy says.

“Again.” Monty huffs.

“We can’t all be like Wells and become the grounder’s second apprentice thing,” Raven says, then pauses as a genuine idea crosses her mind. “Wait, can we?”

Bellamy rolls his eyes and gently shoves her shoulder.

“Whatever the case, we need to be careful. We’ve all been given a second chance. I don’t think any of us want to risk that.” Nathan pushes out, and Monty looks to the others and points at Nathan in agreement.

Another figure strides up to them, and no one looks surprised at the new face.

“Hey.” Lincoln says, taking a seat on the log besides Bellamy. Their shoulders an inch apart. Bellamy feels the hair of his neck stand up and resists a shiver.

“ _How’d it go?”_ Bellamy asks in Lincoln’s language. The others turn their conversation over, which Bellamy feels a strange appreciation for.

“ _My friend wants to meet with you and yours.”_ Lincoln says, his words slow out of his mouth, letting Bellamy hear each sound on their own. He nods and looks to the low campfire at the center of their circle.

Luna was a friend of Lincoln’s, or so he had explained. Someone who was far away from the Trikru’s territory and someone welcoming of those not wanting to be in this alliance thing they had learned about involving other clans they had never met.

Bellamy curled his hands over his knees, thinking about what this meant. He talked with others in the camp the last couple weeks, he wasn’t the only one who wanted to leave.  

His heart races and Bellamy looks down to the hand over his own. Lincoln’s moved closer, their knees grazing, his palm now warm on the back of Bellamy’s hand. Bellamy blinks and swallows and looks up to him, this stranger who’s supported him the last two months, this man who’s cared for him more each passing day.

“Guys,” Bellamy says, drawing the group’s attention back to him. He doesn’t know if any of them can see Lincoln’s hand on his in the darkness, but he feels a sense of calm either way. “There’s something we need to tell you.”

Between Bellamy and Lincoln, they explain the plan to meet with Luna, to see if there was a place for the those who wanted a life free from the Ark. He could feel the doubt in the silence, but no one was telling him off for it, so he considered it a success.

“What about Octavia?” Monty asks. Bellamy could feel himself shake at the thought. His sister would be safe here, but the thought of leaving her twists his stomach.

“We’ll keep an eye out.” Nathan says, sounding firm and final. Bellamy hears the promise in his voice. His eyes glance over to Raven, and she gives him a nod in agreement.

“We can’t go with you.” She says after a few moments. Too many of them leaving would draw unwanted attention, and potential blame to be thrown at the grounders.

“I know.” Bellamy says. This is real now. The planet was for all of them, and it was up to him to make sure his people had options. A place to live, and the freedom to leave it.

“Your people are okay with this, Lincoln?” Nathan asks.

“There are more pressing matters they need to focus on.” Lincoln says before looking over the group.

“When do you leave?” Monty asks. Bellamy and Lincoln exchange a look.

“We already have packs ready to go,” Bellamy says. “We leave tomorrow.”

The dying fire cracks through a brittle log, knocking it to the bottom of the pile.

XxX

They’re a few miles from the valley, slowly crossing into an unfamiliar forest. Bellamy slows down, looking over his shoulder to the people he left behind.

“Bellamy.” Lincoln calls. Pressing his lips together, Bellamy ducks his head down.

“Am I doing the right thing?” He asks, listening as Lincoln walks towards him.

“We both are.” Lincoln says, before his voice grows softer. “Hey, look at me.”

Both his hands go to Bellamy’s face, raising his chin until they’re eye to eye. Lincoln is warmth all the way through, and Bellamy wonders if he feels cold to him.

“…What are you doing?” Lincoln asks when Bellamy, with a smile, puts his two hands against Lincoln’s cheeks. Bellamy smiles wider, and he can feel the twitch in Lincoln’s lips against his fingers.

Lincoln’s eyes turn intense, one of his hands drawing to Bellamy’s neck. His breath hitches, but his smile doesn’t fall. Lincoln barely has to tug before he pushes closer, head tilting and kissing him.

His lips are wet, and slow against him. Bellamy shivers as Lincoln’s rubs his thumb against his neck. They pull apart, but Lincoln stays close, nudging his nose into Bellamy’s.

“You’re warm…” Lincoln says, voice lower than usual. He pecks Bellamy one more time, before pulling away. His hands slip down to Bellamy’s shoulders, until he runs an arm down to take Bellamy’s hand in his own.

“You and me,” Lincoln says, squeezing his hand, “We’re okay.”

And they continue their journey.

**Author's Note:**

> i felt like there were bits i didn't wrap up - almost like i was making this a bigger story than i meant too. hopefully, they just makes it feel more lived in. i really enjoyed working on this regardless though, and hopefully that shows!


End file.
